“It’s not possible.”
He wiped his hand across his forehead in an exaggerated motion. Once they climbed into the helicopter they wouldn’t have the privacy to talk more. She’d get her belongings, hop in her car and return home.
He needed to capitalize on this moment before it was too late.
“So you’ll go on another date with me? A real one. No more fake relationship, but work towards something that could be real?”
She held his stare, her lips moving, but no words coming forth.
He wasn’t shifting his eyes away as he waited.
“Do you want that?”
“I wouldn’t have asked if I didn’t. But I won’t push either. I thought we had a good time together prior to you witnessing a calamity of social faux pas.”
“That’s an extremely polite description. I might’ve rubbed off on you.”
“It’s called the Natalie Effect.”
She laughed. “I like that.”
“And I like you,” he said, his arm dropping on her shoulder. Might as well go back to what he’d been doing and see her reaction.
She smiled, one full of warmth again. “I like you too. I’d enjoy another date.”
The helicopter shut off, Lincoln climbed out, then walked toward them in the private hangar.
“Then I will set one up.”
The flight back to the island wasn’t as laid back as their trip to Baltimore, but it wasn’t tense either.
Lincoln did more talking than anything. Some about the Bond family, or about things that happened on the island.
Arik listened and tried to plan a date to knock her socks off.
A helicopter ride was out of the question. He’d just given her two.
The weather was still iffy for a beach picnic, though it was a nice romantic thought.
He’d bet Natalie would enjoy something like that.
Where she didn’t have to plan anything, or get dressed up, or worry about schedules and timelines.
He wanted to give her something that would help her loosen up some more.
They landed back on the island before he knew it. He and Natalie exited, then walked to his Range Rover that he’d left parked there.
“You’ve been quiet. Everything okay?”
“Just thinking of a date for us.”
“Oh. Really?”
“Yep. Ever have anyone court you before?”
She laughed. A funny sound as if she thought he was joking. He wasn’t.
“No. And I don’t need that.”
